Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1887-06-18

whatever the motive, it seemed to him
impossible that he should keep thu
love of Marina, widely beloved and
charming az she was. When he gazed
upon her, herould not believe that shs
should not be tickle, armed with the
power her beauty gave her, and it
maddened him to think her heart
might swerve to another.
An immediate marriage might have
satisfied him Of the good faith of Ma
rina, but Just after the betrothal the
death of : distant relative threw the
Anayas into mourning after the fash
ION OF the rigorous etiquette OF the
Spaniards, and as soon as they
dofed the sable suits ofcomplimentarv
woe, Lent was at hand, and no one who
lays claim to COED taste marries in
Cuaresma, even now, when more
liberal ideas prevail. How much less
readily then, when all the world was
under priestly rule. Lent over,
Marina's father especially requested
that the nuptials should be deferred
until the arrival from Spain of a
favorite brother, uncle OF the pro-
spective bride.
All these delays were odious and
even maddening to De Ia Montana.
He tormented himself with constant
brooding upon them, until the reason
assigned, all logical and weighty to
the formal precision of the race and
generation, seemed to him strained,
frivolous, and improbable. From
such a conclusion it required no vlo-
lent effort OF a morbid fancy to ad-
vance step farther, and Leonel per-
suaded himself that Marina was tired
OF him, that she had never loved
him, that she desired to break
the bonds of their betrothal, and
that all these procrastinations
were ominous tokens signifying
that wish and a means OF gradual ap-
proach to such rupture. His ieal-
Gus passion increased, battening up
on his misery, until the man had al.
most become insane. And the full
measure of his own suffering he held to
the troubled lips OF poor Marina.
| Every absurd preteXt was to him a
theme of complaint and reproach.
He found a source OF grievance in the
situation of the Anaya dwelling, on
one OF the main thoroughfares, a fav-
orite promenade of the young Span
iards, who naturally passed thither.
| not the less because OF Marina s
beauty. The praises lavished upon
her annoyed him as much as II the
| girl had courted them. 1t had "ome
to pass that every interview between
the lovers resolved itself into bitter
ness and reproaches and Marina was
half wild with distress. She loved
Leonel most dearly, and she could
not doubt the ardoc OF his love fol
her as it's very intensity was th'
source OF his mad jealousy over th'
fatal charm Of her beauty.
At last, one morning, De Ia Mont
ana passed the house and found i
closed. His morbid fancy at ono,
pictured a rival behind the MASSIVE
shutters of the the iron-barred win
dows, making his suit to Marina, per
haps-oh, saints in heaven n.-winnin
his cause, and persuading her to dis
card the Jealous lover. Narrowed b,
the thought he was Fastening to knocl
at the zaguan 1.-THE great street portal
when a wicket in one of the window
was opened, and white hand-ant
a hand he knew, Marina's hand-wa
put forth, and slightly beckoned. II
approached, and begged to know the la
dv's will. For all answer a white, folde,
missive was held toward him. ID
took the letter, the window quickl
closed, and he could but move ava
to where he could read at ease:
"My worshiped Leonel the .ette
ran, my love for thee has amounts
;airly to worship, since We who Low
first only at amature age concentrat
our affections unfrittered away b
earlier, slighter loyes-I have trie
then, by every tenderness,to convlnc
thee that thou alone OF men art
nv heart; but 1 have found thee inser
sible to these assurances. As M
blind and simple affection can not IL
spire in thee that faith which is esser
tial to welded happiness, and as m
besuty-which | therefore hold "a
cu:sei-is the terrible barrier to on
tarfect understanding, Ihave resolved
not in anger nor revenge, but In sacr
flee to your love, to convert that ii
starred, fatal beauty into aliving ho
ror, that thou mayest no longer see
il temptation to disloy atty towar
thee. Naught ~else can cure my anXi
tv and distress. and | do not falte
ri thou lowest M e, thus shalt thy tru'
, revive; thou wik pardon my unsigh
illness. and we shall once more be hal
nv. II thy love halt revolt and pc
tsh for the horroru become, losing tha
tormenting love, thou wilt find pea.
, apaip. Twill return thee at least ti
tranquility have destroyed, eith'
by dispelling the illusion, or by pr
tectinp thy passion beneath the win
of faith. Thine, MARINA"
The heart of Ieonel sank like lee
within him, with the weight OF q gre'
e nisgiving. What would Marina az
' To what dread deed had his NADINE
driven her? He saw now, as II tro
. beneath a lifted veil, the folly and Il
( cruelty of This exactions and suspicion
t and he realized the depth OF the divil
: affection he had wronged. Full ofco
$ triton, of eagerness, OF awful drea
l. he hastened back to the house, al
J. abbreviating as he could the cerem
: nious parley at the door, he soug
e Marina's father, and hurrledly to
g his fears. The two men moved throu
j. the house quietly, not to attract t
attention OF the gossiping servant
:. Tie mother OF Marina was away
n visit a sick friend, and the hou
n was very still. In the ante-sala,
Il onta.room of the great parlOr, th